3. Leverage social media. Let’s face it, everyone is on social media these days, and the majority of traffic still occurs on Facebook. If you are not using Facebook for your business, create a page today. You are leaving an opportunity on the table if you don’t. There has been a shift the past few years with more and more retirees joining the social media world. I guess they realize that if they want to keep up with their kids, grandkids, friends and neighbors, they better get with the program. In fact, retirees are often my best brand ambassadors and help promote our events.

The On-Line Tutorials is a set of courses designed to help interested parties learn more about the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. As individuals learn in different ways, information in each course is presented in three different formats. Pick a format and then use that throughout. The Video format is designed for people who learn best by listening to others speak; while the Multimedia format, the default in each course, provides a mixture of text and video clips. For those that prefer to read, you can simply select the text or pdf version. The tools section contains materials to help facilitate both learning and retention. To see if you have truly mastered the materials in each course, be sure to take the short quiz either as a pre- or a post-test.

Traditional loan: Banks and credit unions are a source of financing for all businesses, including franchises. New franchise owners are 15% more likely than other new business owners to use a commercial bank loan, according to the SBA. Lenders are more likely to finance franchises of an established brand that has proved successful in a variety of markets. However, you’ll still be subjected to the bank’s underwriting standards and lending policies, meaning it will review your net worth and credit history. You also may need to put up collateral, regardless of the brand you’re associated with.
If you've always wanted to start your own business but have been afraid of the financial risk involved, opening a franchise might be the perfect solution for you. With a franchise, you get all of the independence, responsibility, and potential profit associated with owning your own business. Unlike starting a business from scratch, a franchise comes with a proven business model and a well-known brand, reducing your risk of failure dramatically. Lenders are well aware of the benefits associated with opening and operating a franchise and are more willing to approve franchise loans than a standard small business loan for a start-up.
As you consider financing options, make sure you get the best deal overall for your business. This means you'll need to compare interest rates, repayment terms, origination costs, and whether pre-payment penalties apply. By looking at the total cost of the loan, as well as whether monthly payments are affordable, you can secure financing that works for your organization.

*Annual Percentage Rates (APR), loan term and monthly payments are estimated based on analysis of information provided by you, data provided by lenders, and publicly available information. All loan information is presented without warranty, and the estimated APR and other terms are not binding in any way. Lenders provide loans with a range of APRs depending on borrowers' credit and other factors. Keep in mind that only borrowers with excellent credit will qualify for the lowest rate available. Your actual APR will depend on factors like credit score, requested loan amount, loan term, and credit history. All loans are subject to credit review and approval.

StreetShares (see our review) is a P2P lending service that brings together business owners and investors. StreetShares is especially geared toward veteran-owned businesses. Indeed, owning a franchise can be a good transition for veterans transitioning to civilian life. However, even if you’re not a veteran, you can still use this innovative loans marketplace to get an unsecured short-term business loan or line of credit of up to $100,000. You will need to have been in business a year, or in some cases only 6 months, in order to qualify.

According to research from the Nielsen Company audience report, adults in the United States spend about 10 hours and 39 minutes every day consuming media. This research found that smartphones have the largest reach, with users interacting over social media and reading blogs. As a small business owner, it’s likely that your target audience is using social media. Therefore, you should capitalize on this opportunity to grow your brand, reach your customers and increase sales. There are many social media options to choose from when it comes to marketing your small business. If you’re considering using Instagram for your business, this guide will provide you with a good foundation to make the most of the platform.

1. Get organized. Getting an organized plan is the first step in any marketing effort. Make one. Start with brainstorming, create themes and transfer action items to a calendar or to-do list. Start small, and try to get a good ROI for everything you do. Create an elevator pitch: What can you tell people about your business, products and services in 30 seconds or less that keeps them interested and wanting more? Get customer input early -- if you are opening a storefront or restaurant, try hosting a soft opening or invitation-only event to get your kinks worked out and your mishaps and mistakes out of the way. Whatever you do, make a good first impression.

The idea here is to get clear about what’s important to you, where exactly your passion lies, and what the point of the whole venture is. As a small business owner, it’s easy to get caught up in the minutiae of paying bills, writing the website copy, changing the website copy several dozen times, filling out tax forms, and so on. Don’t lose sight of the big picture.

Depending on the size of your loan, your financial statements and accounting records will be reviewed carefully by the lender. So make sure they are complete, correct, and thorough—including balance sheet, income and loss statements, and cash flow statements. The lender will analyze your cash flow, gross margin, debt-to-equity ratio, accounts payable, accounts receivable, EBITDA, and more, so be prepared to answer questions on those topics. Consider having your accountant look over your financial statements to anticipate issues a lender may raise.

Remember that a business is franchised for two reasons: to expand the business and to raise capital. So if you have a reasonably good credit record and pass all the financial requirements, most franchisors will bend over backwards to get you on the team. The help that franchisors provide to help you get financing usually includes assistance with business plans and introductions to lending sources. In many cases, franchisors serve as guarantors of loans you take out.

Patents. Patents are the best protection you can get for a new product. A patent gives its inventor the right to prevent others from making, using, or selling the patented subject matter described in the patent’s claims. The key issues in determining whether you can get a patent are: (1) Only the concrete embodiment of an idea, formula, or product is patentable; (2) the invention must be new or novel; (3) the invention must not have been patented or described in a printed publication previously; and (4) the invention must have some useful purpose. In the United States you obtain a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but this process can take several years and be complicated. You typically need a patent lawyer to draw up the patent application for you. The downside of patents is that they can be expensive to obtain and take several years,

The first step in applying for a franchise loan is making sure you are well-prepared before you connect with a lender. This means that you should have identified the franchise you wish to pursue, and should have your supporting documents and loan package organized and available when you engage with lenders. The goal is to make a solid first impression to show that you are prepared and will successfully put the lender's money to good use and can be trusted to repay the loan. Accessing capital to start your business is perhaps the most difficult step in the start-up process. An online service like BoeFly.com, (we specialize in franchise finance - see what franchise brands have to say about BoeFly) or working with a financial adviser can help prepare you to address any deficiencies within your loan package. Loan brokers will typically cost you a $2000 packaging fee or more, and they may charge the lender a fee of 1-2% of the loan amount, which may come back to you as a hidden cost in the closing costs or in increased interest rates. In contrast, BoeFly has several plans available starting at just $249 to help fully guide you through the process of building a professional, lender ready package and connect you with over 5,000 lenders.
If you are an expanding business and need money for relocation and/or renovation, you’ll be looking for a term loan, which is essentially a lump sum of cash that will be paid back within a set amount of time. Depending on what you expect for the long-term when you are in a growth stage, you may be looking for investors rather than lenders at this point.
Plum Alley was founded by Deborah Jackson, who had over two decades of experience raising capital for businesses, in 2012 as a crowdfunding platform for women-run businesses that needed extra funding. In 2015, Plum Alley Investors emerged as a way to connect women-owned businesses with investors who want to invest specifically in women-run businesses. Plum Alley is unique in that their investors are dedicated to investing in women-centric businesses, and they help women gain access to the capital they need.

Hi Rose, generally a business loan or mortgage will not appear on your personal credit report unless you signed a personal guaranty; if you personally guaranteed the loan, there is a chance it may appear on your personal credit report — but then again, it might not. It’s a good idea to check your credit report for any issues before you apply to any loans.

Aira, business debt is a different animal than consumer debt. It’s one thing to go into debt buying nice furniture, big tvs, vacations, etc. It’s another thing to go into debt to get bulk inventory discounts, finance equipment, expand restaurant seating, or anything else that will turn $1 of debt into $2 of revenue, for example. That’s what business loans are typically used for.
The On-Line Tutorials is a set of courses designed to help interested parties learn more about the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. As individuals learn in different ways, information in each course is presented in three different formats. Pick a format and then use that throughout. The Video format is designed for people who learn best by listening to others speak; while the Multimedia format, the default in each course, provides a mixture of text and video clips. For those that prefer to read, you can simply select the text or pdf version. The tools section contains materials to help facilitate both learning and retention. To see if you have truly mastered the materials in each course, be sure to take the short quiz either as a pre- or a post-test.
Bank loans are a great option, but before you go that route, make sure you’ve done your market research and can demonstrate that your business will do well in your area. If you haven’t had any luck getting loans from traditional lenders, look for a lender that offers SBA-backed loans, since they’re geared specifically to the needs of small businesses and are only open to those who can’t get funding elsewhere. Other financial options include online alternative lenders, which may be less restrictive in who they approve, but also tend to charge higher fees and rates.

Funds cannot be used for lines of credit, owner-occupied housing, projects involving over $1 million and include relocating at least 50 jobs or agricultural production. Funds also cannot be used to fund certain businesses including golf courses, casinos/racetracks, churches or church-controlled businesses, fraternal organizations or lending/investment companies.

The first thing you want to do before approaching any lender is determine what your net worth is. To do this, use a personal balance sheet to list both your assets (what you own) and liabilities (what you owe). Under assets, list all your holdings--cash on hand, checking accounts, savings accounts, real estate (current market value), automobiles (whether paid off or not), bonds, securities, insurance cash values and other assets--then total them up.
A franchise ACH merchant cash advance is very similar to a MCA split in that they are both not considered “loans” but are instead the sale of the franchise’s future earnings. The difference between a MCA and an ACH is how the funder is repaid for providing financing to the franchise. As mentioned previously, a MCA lender will collect repayment by splitting merchant processing sales. With an ACH advance the repayment is made by having the funding company take a set amount from the franchise’s bank account each business day until the advance is repaid.
Fees and costs. Origination, underwriting and early repayment fees are typical costs that you could see. If a lender provides an APR, it includes the interest rate plus any upfront fees. Early repayment can be a conditional fee and is not reflected in the APR, so it’s a good idea to carefully read through the terms of your offer before accepting it. Learn more about business loan costs.

A microloan is similar to a traditional bank loan, but they often come from alternative lenders like credit unions. A microloan tends to be easier to get for those with subpar credit because the loan amounts, as the name indicates, are small, typically fifty thousand dollars or less. Because of this, the credit requirements for these loans are also lower. If this amount of funding suits your needs, this is a good option. The SBA has a microloan program, and there are several alternative lending options such as Prosper and Zopa.